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Constitution

Article 1: Name

The name of the organization shall be the Ball State University Staff Council, hereafter referred to as the Council.

Article 2: Purpose of Staff Council

2.1: The Role of the Council

2.1.1 The role of the Council shall be to render advice, make recommendations, and provide assistance to University Officers in the formation or change of University policies affecting regular full and part-time Staff Personnel and Service Personnel Affiliated with Staff Personnel (hereafter referred to as Staff Personnel). Staff Personnel are those employees holding regular full or part-time positions (as defined in the handbooks) who have successfully completed a probationary period.

2.2: The Council, on behalf of Staff Personnel, shall

2.2.1: provide, through the Council's Executive Committee, interaction of Staff Personnel with the University Officers, or their appointed representative(s),

2.2.2: work with the University Officers, or their appointed representative(s), to promote the recognition, status, and image of employees represented by the Council,

2.2.3: work with the University Officers, or their appointed representative(s), to improve the quality of the work environment at the university,

2.2.5: participate in the University governance process through the transmittal of staff concerns to appropriate University committees or officers.

2.2.6: call meetings of all constituents when deemed necessary by the Council.

Article 3: Membership

3.1: Qualifications and Representation

3.1.1: Regular full- time Staff Personnel, not represented by a recognized bargaining agent, who have successfully completed a probationary period shall be eligible for election to the Council. Part-time staff may vote in elections, but may not hold a position as Council representative from their area.

3.1.2: The Council shall be comprised of one elected member for each 35 regular full-time employees, or a major fraction thereof (18 employees).

18 to 35 employees = 1 representative

36 to 70 employees = 2 representatives

71 to 105 employees = 3 representatives

106 to 140 employees = 4 representatives

The number of representative positions and employee voting groups will be permanent for the council year with the review of positions and groups to be performed on an annual basis prior to the campus-wide election.

3.1.3: All elected members are required to participate in all phases of Council business.

3.1.4: The President of the University shall appoint a representative to the Council. This representative shall serve in an ex officio, non-voting capacity.

3.2: Term of Council Membership

3.2.1: Membership on the Council shall be for a two year period, according to a staggered process. Staff Personnel shall serve no more than two consecutive terms as a member of the Council. Eligibility for membership is permissible after a one year period of non-membership.

3.2.2: The membership term shall begin on the first day of July following election to the Council. Regular meetings of the Council are held from September through June.

3.2.3 When a position is vacated in the Council, a replacement will be selected to complete the original term through the same process used for selecting the vacating representative. The person chosen as a replacement shall be eligible to serve one additional full term, consecutively, to be followed by a one year period of non-membership.

Article 4: Election of Membership

4.1: Voting Eligibility

4.1.1: Staff Personnel as defined in Section 2.1 shall have the right to vote in Council elections.

4.2: Supervision of Election

4.2.1: Council elections shall be supervised by an Election Committee appointed by the President of the Council from among the Council membership.

4.2.2: The Election Committee shall identify employee voting groups based, in as much as possible, upon the campus geographic location of eligible Staff Personnel and shall be in accordance with the provisions outlined in Article 3.1.2.

4.2.3: Official ballots for each employee group shall be prepared by the Election Committee. The ballots would include the names of every person eligible to serve in that employee group.

4.3: Election Guidelines and Procedures

4.3.1: The Election Committee shall prepare and distribute a ballot for each eligible Staff Personnel in the employee group having an election. The ballots shall be returned to the Election Committee. Elections will be completed and results reported at the regular May meeting of the Council and recorded in the May Council minutes.

4.3.2: The individual receiving the highest number of votes will be asked to serve as their building representative on the Council.

4.3.3: In employee groups having more than one representative, the individuals with the highest number of votes will serve as members of the Council.

4.3.4: The Election Committee shall certify to the Council President in writing that the election was conducted in accordance with prescribed procedure.

4.3.5: The Election Committee will ask an approved University official for verification of election by sending all ballots to that official.

Article 5: Attendance, Removal and Replacement of Members

5.1:Attendance

5.1.1: It is the responsibility of each Council member to attend Council meetings and participate in committee work. Any member of the Council who is unable to attend one or more of its sessions must designate an alternate from the full-time regular staff in the same constituency for such meetings.

5.1.2: The Secretary shall be advised of the name of the substitute prior to the meeting. Failure to alert the Secretary of an absence in advance of the meeting shall constitute an unexcused absence.

5.1.3: The alternate must register with the Secretary of the Council prior to the start of the Council meeting. The designated substitute will have the same voting privileges as the elected member at the meeting.

5.2:Business of the Council

5.2.1: A member may be removed by the Council for failure to attend the business of the Council as required by this Constitution.

5.3:Recall

5.3.1:A member may be removed by the represented employee group through recall.

5.4: Participation in Council Committee Work

5.4.1: Each Council member is expected to serve on a Council committee to which appointed.

5.4.2: Any member who refuses to accept appointment to a Council committee shall be subject to removal from Council.

5.5: Removal from Council and Subsequent Replacement

5.5.1: Council members who have a pattern of unexcused absences from official meetings may be replaced upon the recommendation of the President or the written request of at least one third of the membership of the Council. Upon review and unanimous vote by the Executive Committee, and being satisfied that appropriate notification to those involved has been made, the Executive Committee shall declare the position vacant.

5.5.2: Lack of a unanimous vote for removal by the Executive Committee shall result in referral to the entire Council. A motion of a two thirds affirmative vote of the Council members present shall be required for removal of the member under consideration.

5.5.3: Council members are expected to conduct themselves in a respectful and considerate manner during all meetings. Failure to do so may result in expulsion from the meeting.

5.5.4 The Executive Committee may request the resignation of a Council Member who is consistently disruptive during meetings. Should the member refuse to resign, the matter may be brought to a vote by the full council and decided upon by a simple majority.

5.6: Relocation Within the Work Force

5.6.1: A Council member who relocates within the University work force outside the employee group represented by the Council member shall, by virtue of such relocation, automatically cease to be a member of the Council.

5.6.2: After the employee voting groups based on campus geographic or departmental location are reviewed and defined in April prior to the year end election, the number of Council representatives and employee voting groups will be established in accordance with the provisions outlined in Article 3.1.2. The number of representative positions and the employee voting groups will be permanent for the Council year. A Council member whose department or division

moves to another location within the University on a permanent basis will remain a member of the Council representing his or her employee voting group for the remainder of the Council year. Upon review of employee voting groups based on campus geographic location in April, the Council member shall cease to be a member of the Council after the completion of the Council year if the provisions of Article 3.1.2 are not met.

5.7: Leave of Absence

5.7.1: A Council member may request a Leave of Absence from Council membership for a partial period of no more than 3 months of the member's term.

5.7.2: A Council member seeking a Leave of Absence should direct the request for leave, outlining the reasons for the request, to the President of the Council.

5.7.3: The President of the Council will present the request for Leave of Absence to the Executive Committee at its first meeting following the receipt of the request.

5.7.4: An affirmative vote of the majority of the members of the Executive Committee shall be required for the granting of the request for Leave of Absence.

5.7.5: The staff member with the next highest number of votes during that year's elections will be contacted to fulfill the leave of absence. If no interest is expressed, the chair of the

Elections Committee will contact the other full-time regular staff members nominated from that constituency. If there is no interest from the nominations, the position will be open to any other full-time regular staff member in that constituency, via electronic correspondence. The new member will assume the vacant position for the full period of the Leave of Absence with voting privileges and same committee membership(s).

5.8: Petition for Recall

5.8.1: A member of the Council may be removed by the employee group the member is elected to represent through a Petition for Recall.

5.8.2: An employee group wishing to remove its elected representative shall submit a petition to the President of the Council.

5.8.3: The petition shall outline the specific basis upon which the employee group seeks to remove its elected representative.

5.8.4: Such petition must contain signatures of no fewer than two thirds of the members of the employee group seeking Recall.

5.8.5: Upon receipt of the Petition for Recall, the President of the Council shall verify the validity of the petition signatures and, if the petition meets the requirements outlined above, shall inform the affected member of the petition and of removal from the Council.

5.8.6: The affected member shall cease to be a member of the Council on the date the President of the Council determines that the petition signatures are valid and the petition meets the requirements outlined above.

Article 6: Officers

6.1:Officers

6.1.1: The officers of the Council shall be President, Vice President, and Secretary. Officers of the Council must be members of the Council.

6.2:Election of Officers

6.2.1: Officers for the succeeding year shall be elected by secret ballot at a special election meeting of Council on the third Thursday of July. The retiring Chair of the Election Committee shall convene the meeting and conduct the election.

6.3:Terms of Office

6.3.1: The officers shall serve for a term of one year, beginning immediately upon election.

6.4: Duties of the President

6.4.1: It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all Council meetings.

6.4.2: It shall be the duty of the President to enforce all regulations and policies of the Council.

6.4.3: It shall be the duty of the President, together with the ex officio representative, to forward documents, decisions, and policy recommendations from the Council to the appropriate University officer.

6.4.4: The President, in consultation with other officers, shall appoint all members and Chairs of the Council committees and representatives to University committees as required.

6.4.5: The President shall chair the Executive Committee.

6.4.6: The President shall call special meetings of the Council when deemed necessary.

6.4.7: The President shall process grievance procedures for Staff Personnel and Service Personnel (non-bargaining unit) Affiliated with Staff Personnel as outlined in the employee handbooks.

6.4.8: All rulings by or actions of the President of the Council are subject to discussion by the Council and may be changed by a majority vote of the total membership of the Council.

6.5: Duties of the Vice President

6.5.1: The Vice President shall assume the duties of the President in the absence of the President.

6.5.2: The Vice President shall coordinate the work of all Council committees.

6.5.3: The Vice President shall chair the Agenda Committee.

6.6: Duties of the Secretary

6.6.1: The Secretary shall record all resolutions and proceedings of the meetings.

6.6.2: The Secretary shall perform the correspondence duties of the Council.

6.6.3: The Secretary shall issue all notices of Council meetings.

6.6.4: The Secretary shall distribute, or cause to be distributed, one copy of Council meeting minutes to all Staff Personnel, university office, department or area, Office of the President, and, upon written request, to other interested employees or offices.

6.6.5: The Secretary shall forward to Archives in Special Collections of Bracken

Library minutes, changes in the Constitution Bylaws, and any other documents requested by the Executive Committee. This shall be done at the end of each Council year.

6.7: Officer Vacancies

6.7.1: In case of an officer vacancy, members of the Council shall elect a replacement from the membership at the first regularly scheduled meeting following the vacancy. The person elected shall serve the remainder of the term.

Article 7: Committees

7.1: Executive Committee

7.1.1: The Executive Committee shall be comprised of the President, Vice President, Secretary, the Chairs of the Salary and Employee Benefits Committee, the Employee Relations Committee, the Public Relations Committee, the Election Committee, the Hospitality Committee, the Angels for Life Committee and the Research Committee.

7.1.2: The Executive Committee shall meet upon the call of the President.

7.1.3: The Executive Committee shall act on behalf of the Council between regular Council meetings as necessary. The Executive Committee may not take any action which is contrary to prior actions of Council.

7.1.4: Any action taken by the Executive Committee shall be reported to the whole Council at its next regular meeting.

7.2: Agenda Committee

7.2.1: The Agenda Committee shall be comprised of the President, Vice President, Secretary and the Chairs of all the Council Standing Committees.

7.2.2: The Agenda Committee shall meet upon the call of the Vice President before each regular Council meeting.

7.2.3: The Agenda Committee shall prepare the agenda for each regular council meeting.

7.3: Standing Committees

7.3.1 In addition to the Executive Committee and the Agenda Committee, there shall be seven standing committees selected from Council membership and appointed by the Council President prior to the September meeting of each year. The President of the Council will appoint the chairperson of each Standing Committee. The chairperson of each committee shall hold formal and/or electronic meetings in the spring and fall. Other meetings will be held as necessary.

7.3.2: Salary and Employee Benefits Committee

7.3.2.1: It shall serve as an advisory body to the Council in reference to salary and employee benefits affecting employees represented by the Council.

7.3.2.2: It shall review recommendations regarding adjustments to the salary and fringe benefit program for Staff Personnel as may be forwarded to the Council by University Officers or their appointed representative(s) and report its findings to the Council.

7.3.3: Employee Relations Committee

7.3.3.1: It shall serve as an advisory body to the Council in reference to improvements in working relationships, working conditions, and the working environments for staff employees.

7.3.3.2: It shall bring to the attention of the Council informal concerns of the staff employees that may not qualify for a more formal review as provided for in the Grievance Procedure.

7.3.3.3: It shall hear appeals as outlined in the Grievance Procedures in the handbooks.

7.3.4: Public Relations Committee

7.3.4.1: It shall facilitate and stimulate communication between staff personnel and Council members by informing staff of activities, concerns and meeting notices.

7.3.4.2: It shall aid in the employee orientation process by welcoming and introducing new regular full-time and part-time staff employees to the support services of Council and area representatives.

7.3.4.3: It shall invite guest speakers to Council meetings to exchange information and common concerns.

7.3.4.4: It shall promote a positive recognition of staff personnelon the Council website and through other media.

7.3.4.5:It shall be the point of contact for edits to the Council website. It is understood that not everyone appointed as a chairperson will be comfortable as a direct editor to the website, but can designate a member of the committee to serve as the direct editor, or coordinate edits to the website through the appropriate University channels.

7.3.4.6: Procedures to update and maintain the website as well as other duties will be updated annually and passed on through the Public Relations binder.

7.3.8.4 It shall schedule members of the full Council to assist in covering the blood drive registration table for one hour shifts. All Members of Council are expected to assist during at least one of the multiple drives held each academic year.

7.3.9: Year-End Report

7.3.9.1 All outgoing Committee Chairpersons shall write a synopsis of the preceding year’s business including questions, concerns, and resolutions to be passed along to the incoming Chairperson of their Committee. Along with the synopsis should be any pertinent information that may be useful in the future Committee business. This information packet shall be given to the outgoing President to pass these packets to the new President for distribution to incoming Committee Chairpersons.

7.4:Special Committees

7.4.1 Special committees may be appointed by the President as specific needs arise. The President may appoint persons outside Council membership to serve on any special committee.

7.4.2: The A. Jane Morton Award Committee shall be a Standing Special Committee.

7.4.2.1 Council shall serve as the Secretariat of the A. Jane Morton Award sponsored by the Sponsored Projects Administration.

7.4.2.2: The Chair of the A. Jane Morton Award Committee shall be appointed by the Council President.

7.4.2.3 Members of the A. Jane Morton Award Committee shall be chosen according to the instructions of the Sponsored Projects Administration, sponsor of the award.

7.4.2.4 The Chair of the A. Jane Morton Award Committee shall attend Council Agenda Committee meetings when requested by Council President.

Article 8: Meetings

8.1: Regular Council Meetings

8.1.1: The regular meetings of the Council will be held during the afternoon on the third Thursday of each month from September through June. A quorum for transaction of business shall be fifty one percent of the Council membership.

8.2: Meetings of the Agenda Committee

8.2.1: A meeting of the Agenda Committee shall be held at least one week prior to each regularly scheduled council meeting to prepare the meeting agenda.

8.3: Meetings of the Executive Committee

8.3.1: The Executive Committee shall meet at the pleasure of the President.

8.4: Special Council Meetings

8.4.1: The President shall call special meetings of the Council when deemed necessary. A quorum for transaction of business shall be fifty one percent of the Council membership.

Article 9: Council Year

9.1: The Council Year

9.1.1: The Council year shall be from July through June with regular meetings scheduled from September through June.

Article 10: Parliamentary Authority

10.1: Parliamentary Authority

10.1.1: The rules contained in the latest edition of “Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised” by Henry M. Robert III will serve as the parliamentary guide to meetings and legislative procedures of the council.

10.2: Specific Rules and Procedures

10.2.1: Specific rules and procedures governing the conduct of the Council and its committees shall be contained in the Ball State University Staff Council Constitution.

Article 11: Amendment to the Constitution

11.1: Proposing an Amendment

11.1.1: Any member of the Council may propose an amendment to the constitution by presenting it in writing at any regular meeting of the Council. The amendment shall be referred to the Executive Committee for review and be presented to the Council for action at the next regular meeting.

11.1.2: The amendment shall be brought forward at two successive meetings; the first meeting will be for informational purposes, the amendment will be read and may be discussed.

11.1.3: At the second meeting the amendment will be read, discussed further if necessary and voted upon; approval by two thirds of the membership of the Council is required.

11.1.4: After approval by the Council, all amendments shall be presented to the Vice President for Business Affairs who will in turn forward to the President and Board of Trustees (if necessary) for ratification.

This revised Constitution prepared by the Staff Council Executive Committee and approved by the full Staff Council, June 16, 2016.